Last week, Norwegian dairy company TINE took to social media to ask consumers of its products for their input on how best before dates should be worded.

The poll​​ was designed to not only change the best before labels on products, but also to raise awareness around the issue of food waste.

TINE was looking to show that products don’t always need to be thrown away once the best before date has been reached.

The choices consumers could vote on were:Best before 01.01.18, After: see - smell - tasteBest before 01.01.18, and often good afterBest before 01.01.18, but not bad after

After 750,000 views, and more than 7,000 votes, the latter option, Best before, but not bad after, was chosen.

Not the first

Lars Galtung, communications director, said the company wanted to let consumers decide.

While other companies such as Q-Meieriene have already introduced similar best before labels on their products, Galtung noted that it was ‘not bad to be after’, and applauded Q-Meieriene for its efforts.

"It's great that TINE is now going to use the same marking as Q on its dairy products​,” Galtung said, adding that both companies have a common interest in reducing food welfare in Norway.

Managing director of Q-Meieriene, Bent Myrdal, agreed.

“It is very positive that we can stand together on common labeling,"​ Myrdal said.

He added the more producers work together on such initiatives, the more visible it will be for consumers.

Galtung said TINE has been working to reduce food waste for a long time, including through packaging and communication. He said he hoped that the reduction in food waste continues.

Changes already in the works

The new ’Best before, but not bad after’ packaging is already being added to products, and will be in stores from next week.

"Initially, milk, sour milk, cream, juice, yogurt packs and school milk will change and the goal is that all other products will be labeled by the end of 2018,"​ Galtung said.

In Norwegian homes, around 217,000 tons of food is discarded every year and TINE said as a food producer, it has a responsibility to help the consumer throw less food away, by having optimal packaging, increasing shelf life, and now by changing the labeling.